Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-07-14
Another Presidential Blunder.

Tap a fool never so careful and wis
dom will not flow out. Measured by
the average standard of his fellows,
President Cleveland is not a fool-faT
from it. Measured, however, by the
standard that is looked and expected in
an incumbent of the presidency of the
United States, and his judgments and
many Of his official acts seem the fruit
Of incomprehensibl folly.
His long letter published to day with
drawing his acceptance of the invitation
that had been given him to meet the
National Grand Army Of the Republic in
St. Louis, is marvel of misjudgment.
Throughout its tedious length it but
rings the changes in ostentatious fash
ion upon his own forbearance and char
ity and magnanimity in deigning to
forgive the G. A. r. members and in
wishing them well, despite their injury
TO him. The letter is all a self-adver-
Using Of personal virtue of which no
large man was ever capable. Real
worth in real men sometimes lies in OBJ
security, but it never obtrudes itself as in
this letter Of our President.
The intimation Of the letter that insult
and even violence at the hands of the
Union veterans would be visited upon
Cleveland were he to go to st. Louis, is
unworthy the common sense of the
average schoolboy. The President
knows better than even to suspect such
thing. In writing of it he did not aim
to deal in probable fact, but only to
insult the G. A. r. members and so min
lister to his petty spite against them
The situation as between the Presi-
dent and the @. A. r. organization had
grown awkward and even embarrassing
But the least of several evils would
have been chosen had Cleveland quietly
gone to st. Louis as Originally planned
The assembled veterans, not less then
the citizens Of st. Louis, would have
respected and honored him for his high
and sacred office, however much they
might have disliked the man. Failing
of that, his next best course was to
withdraw his acceptance in three-line
note and stay at home. The browning
blunder of all, in its i'll effect upon
cleveland himself, upon all the citizens
of st. Louis and upon the enjoyment OF
the G.. A. r. gathering soon to be held,
lies in the absurd and petty air of injur-
ed innocence ofhich pervades this pub
lished letter.
But with all that is awkward and I'M
fortunate in the now irreparabIe disa-
greement between the President and
the old soldiers, it must be admitted
even by his friends that the former is
primaturely to blame. 1t is he who has
furnished the proyocation throughout.
The Uuion soldiers, though disagreeing
with him would have respected his mo-
tives In the veto of the service pension
bill, had he not previously approved
the Mexican bill of fauftier provisions,
which chiefly benefited ex-Confederate
soldiers. The Union soldiers, unspeak-
ably and personally hurt by the stupid
battle-fag order, would have condoned
that blunder also, had Cleveland ac-
knowledge his error and offense against
patriotism. Yet he revoked the infam-
Gus order-not because it antagonized
every instinct of sentimental and soldier
ly pride and patriotism, but merely
because it proved to be illegal.
There is no good citizen who does not
feel sympathy with the President in the
predicament in which he finds himself.
But he has made his own bed. He has
made it as it is, through mental and
moral ignorance and narrowness.
1t was miracle of chance even in our
chance laden politics, that man SO rad
ically untitled could ever have become
President Evening Wisconsin.
Vesper Chimes.